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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. suit — in cards
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. press — to push
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. suit — clothes
  13. field — for sport
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — to fit
  17. court — of a king
  18. field — a subject
  19. court — of law
  20. press — a publisher
  21. court — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com